Interior, exterior design choices abound

Anyone who has ever built a new home or remodeled an existing one knows that interior design selections are a critical part of the process. Options abound given floor coverings, window treatments, furnishings and accessories, yet homeowners want their surroundings to express their individuality. Moreover, design selections must also be functional in terms of utilization of living space.

Given the time constraints that busy professionals face, many individuals have found the services of interior designers helpful in streamlining objectives and keeping projects on task. Designers can be a valuable resource in transforming ideas and concepts into reality via their knowledge of current home furnishing trends, as well as clients’ style preferences.

Indeed, those in the industry state that designers’ skill sets and versatility continue to take on a greater scope given the wide array of offerings that are available.

Choices, choices, choices

“There is so much more to choose from now, and the ability to mold these decisions into your design concept as you bring it to fruition for your client is more challenging than ever,” says Kristin Ganger, a designer with Patina Décor, LLC.

The business started in 2005 and is owned by Ganger, her husband, Jeff, and James and Lori Davis. Located in downtown Baldwyn, Patina Décor is a full-scale interior design firm, covering design needs in both residential and commercial sectors.

Ganger says the firm works with clients with selections ranging from furniture, accessories and rugs to wallpaper, custom window treatments, upholstery and floor covering among other design services. She says that a designer’s knowledge of various trends in the industry works to the client’s advantage.

For example, she notes that with more open floor plans where kitchen, living/den, breakfast and/or dining areas are visible to one another, it’s important to keep the consistency of the design concept intact. Given their expertise, designers are attentive to these types of issues and details.

Personal attention, service and quality

Kelly Holcomb with Tupelo-based Staggs Interiors Inc. says that his full-service interior design firm works hard to address clients’ individualized home or office furnishing needs with a wide range of services ranging from flooring and draperies to furniture and accessories.

Whether it’s during initial construction or a remodeling effort, Holcomb states that clients are looking for personal attention, service and quality when making interior and exterior design decisions. He adds that his firm strives to incorporate client preferences with the firm’s knowledge of timeless design and current trends in the interiors industry.

The company, which was started in 1976 by Wallace Staggs, is owned by Holcomb and Staggs and includes seven designers on staff. Having worked on numerous regional projects over the years, special work has also taken the staff to various locations in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Ohio and Mexico.

That look and style

Both Holcomb and Ganger stress that the professional assistance that designers provide helps clients not only in achieving the look and the style that they desire, but in avoiding potential regrets or mistakes. For example, understanding the importance of size and scale within a room or how various furnishings, colors or textures interface given more open spaces or available light are all important factors to assess when making purchasing decisions.

Listening to the client is another factor that makes for a successful designer/client relationship.

“A designer should be able to relate to their client,” Ganger says. “By relating, they need to be a good listener and earnest in providing the best advice and services possible. The end result will be a look that shows that client’s personality with your design ideas, which is a look that you can be proud of.”

“The ability of a designer to learn a client’s personal tastes, likes and dislikes is what makes this process easy for the client,” Holcomb says. “Meeting client expectations and providing individualized services are major factors in client satisfaction.”